Spy shots - Don Garlits Challenger

[rx dealer]

If you look very close to the Challenger you cannot drive it the way it is from the factory unlike the max wedge/hemi cars. the challenger does not have a rear end or rear brakes, it only has a cradle for an independent rear suspention from a mercedes E class without the center section and drive shafts so it can roll. I did not see a wiring harness. It had an interior with Viper seats ,dash ,gauges and even power windows and comes with 4 steel wheels and SNOW tires. It has mark williams front brakes and a transmission ( not drivable ) just so the engine can sit in place. Al you had to do with the old Hemi/Wedge cars is to put slicks and race. By the way I think the Cobra Jet was a much better deal. It's a ready race car...Luke

[X-TECH MAN]

[QUOTE=rx dealer:: By the way I think the Cobra Jet was a much better deal. It's a ready race car...Luke[/QUOTE]

By the times they are turning with stock lift cams, 9 inch tires and very little prep they would make great SS/D cars !!!!!! Just need a complete roll cage. Easy mid to low 9's without all the expensive head work. The larger 14 X 32 tires would help with the nose heavy problem also. What do you think ?

[rx dealer]

Terry, those CJ cars must be turning a low 1.3 sixty footer or better with 9 in tire, Because I do it with my SS-GT car...Very impressive. Luke

[X-TECH MAN]

Im surprised one of them hasent jumped into S/S already. Better tires, better oiling system avaliable, better valve train components, air shifters (for the automatic trans guys). Where are the original 4 from Pomona at? What about the other 56 cars? Are the collectors (whores) just hording them away someplace in hopes they will be worth more money in 10 to 30 years?

[magnumv8]

I did some checking...in the early 60's NHRA created the "FX" classes for the limited run or "race only combinations...you didn't need to build 50 or 100 of a model to make it legal....A was 0 to 8.99 lbs./cu/in...B was 9.00 to 12.99 lbs./cu/in and C was 13.00 and lbs./cu/in.....it made it easy to govern because there was no need to have a hp factor.....Ford and Chrysler both see guys building SS/AH cars with no bottom line budget and they don't see any financial gain from it...so lets build them ourselves and make a buck selling them to these guys....the Mustang is basically complete @ $70,000 and the Challenger needs completed and is in the $30,000 to $40,000 range....I know the economy is wacked right now but there will always be someone thinking "win on Sunday sell on Monday" ain't happening with a '68 Dart or Cuda.....by taking and putting the 1968 MOPAR Package cars and putting them in their own class NHRA has actually created a new "FX" class in the modern era.....I wonder if you could get a competitive package from the other brands that could be run during National events to increase the fan appeal for the other makes....could bring back the excitement of the early 60's again

[X-TECH MAN]

Nothing will ever bring back the 60's and early 70's. Ya had to be there to understand how it was. NO $100,000+ stockers and S/S cars. Jrs. stock races every weekend at your local track, no reaction timers, cool muscle cars at the track every weekend, Neat factory wars, Jr. stockers everywhere, class run off's with 15-20+ cars in a class, no acid/ported heads in stock, Pro stock had real 4-speeds and were muscle car bodies and no little bitty puke compacts like vegas and pintos. Im glad I had the chance to live thru the era.

[herbjr]

Terry also if a little guy had talent he got a pro ride, my dad is an example. Raised by a single mom with no money worked his *** off with his cars, won and dominated in everything he ever did and even ran his 68 package car in Pro Stock in 1970. You cant bring that era back because back then the guy who worked the hardest won. Those wre the good ole days.

Herb Jr

[Frito]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

Nothing will ever bring back the 60's and early 70's. Ya had to be there to understand how it was. NO $100,000+ stockers and S/S cars. Jrs. stock races every weekend at your local track, no reaction timers, cool muscle cars at the track every weekend, Neat factory wars, Jr. stockers everywhere, class run off's with 15-20+ cars in a class, no acid/ported heads in stock, Pro stock had real 4-speeds and were muscle car bodies and no little bitty puke compacts like vegas and pintos. Im glad I had the chance to live thru the era.

Double that Loved the racing even into the late 70's but did not realize what history I was watching/doing at the time. Mark Janaky, Dell Jones and Jim Sheilds are keeping some of this alive.

[bigshow2966]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

By the times they are turning with stock lift cams, 9 inch tires and very little prep they would make great SS/D cars !!!!!! Just need a complete roll cage. Easy mid to low 9's without all the expensive head work. The larger 14 X 32 tires would help with the nose heavy problem also. What do you think ?

A couple of the cars have already had the cages put in from what I've read.

I also saw that the consensus is that 18-20 of the CJ's may actually see the race track. The other 30 are garage ornaments or investments.